Air conditioning apparatus



March 14, 1939. B, MclNNl-:RNEY

l AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 3, 1957 IN VENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

March 14, 1939.

B. MolNNr-:RNEY

AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS 2 SheQts-Sh'eet 2 Filed NOV. 5, 1957 l y 1NVENT OR. venjawz/w /Wmewney @HM M./

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 14, 1939y UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE 'I'his inventionrelates to improvements in air conditioning devices.

It is well understood that our modern dwellings, oiiices, restaurantsand shops can be made more comfortable both in summer and in winter byconditioning the air with respect totemperature and moisture content.

In parts of our country where the air is moist and hot in summer, livingconditions are very unpleasant for several months each year, and in suchplaces air conditioning is essential to comfort. i

It is now quite common to subject the air in buildings, such asresidences, hotels and theaters to a treatment that reduces itstemperature and modifies its moisture content. In some instances this4temperature reduction is effected by means of refrigerating units suchas those employed with the ordinary power operated refrigerators. Inother cases with ice or cold water and in other cases the air is merelydriven through moist screens or through a water spray where thetemperature is reduced by the evaporative action of the air and thewater.

'The last method is usually the simplest and the cheapest but its actionis more ory less illusionary due to the fact that the latent heat ofvaporization that is absorbed by the waterduring its Vaporization isreturned when the vapor condenses with the result that the total amountof heat in a room subjected to this kind of air conditioning is inreality increased by the energy expended in operating the apparatus, andin moist climates the vapor which has been added to the air tends toincrease physical discomfort.

The apparatus to which this invention relates is of the type in whichthe heat absorptive action of evaporation is employed to reduce thetemperature of a radiator and in which air is then passed through theradiatorfor the purpose of cooling it. The air that is used foreifecting the evaporation is conducted to the outside of the room to becooled and the air that is cooled byv passsing through the radiator isdirected into .the room and in this way the heat abstracted from theliquid during the evaporation will not be redelivered to the-airof theroom.

Having thus described the invention in a general way, the same will nowbe described in detail and for this purpose reference will be had to theaccompanying drawings inwhich one form of the invention has beenillustrated and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a unit embodying the invention,parts being broken away to better-disclose the construction.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary section taken on line 2-2 Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a detail showing one arrangement 5 of proportioning valve;

Figure 4 is a view showing how the device can be associated with anordinary hot air heating system.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal Isection similar to 10 Fig. 1 andshows amodied form of the invention; and

Figure 6 is a partial section taken o n line 6 6' Fig. 5.

Inthe drawings reference numerals 5 and 6 15 'represent respectively thetop and-the bottom tank of a radiator and are connected by attenedtubular members l. The number, size and shape of the tubular members canbe Varied to suit .conditions but for the purpose of illustration thetubes 1 have been shown as few in number and comparatively large. Apartition 8, having la vertical wall 9, is positioned at some pointbetween the two tanks,` the exact point being .determined by the averagetemperature and humidity of the air to be conditioned. 'I'he partitionhas an opening for each tube and the latter are joined to the partitionby solder so that a water Vtight pan or reservoir is formed at thispoint.

At one point the bottom of the pan, or partition, is provided with asump I0 in which is positioned a hollow float II that controls theaction-of a valve rmechanism I2, which will be more fully describedhereinafter. Pans I3 surround the tubes l directly below tank -5 but arenot attached -35` to the tubes for reasons that will be obvious as thedescription proceeds. Radiating iins are attached to the tubes below thepartition and serve to facilitateradiation or heat interchange in theusual manner. Those portions of the tubes 'l 40 that are positionedbetween the two pans 8 and I 3 are covered by an absorptive fabric I5that may be made from wool, linen, cotton or any other suitable materialthat has the property of conducting a liquid by capillary action; thesecover- .ings will be referred to hereinafter as wicks.

It is evident that a spray or other equivalent means may be used tomoisten the wicks, but I prefer the method shown, in which the lowerends of the wicks extend to the bottom of pan 8 and 50.

the upper ends are curved outwardly and downwardly and project into thepans I3. When pans f- 8 and I3 contain water, or other liquid, this willtravel upwardly from pan 8 and downwardly from pan I3,thus keeping thewicks moist. II'he 55 pans 8 and I3 are kept supplied with water bymeans of a valve mechanism I2 which comprises a valve body having acylindrical chamber I8 whose lower end terminates in a smallercylindrical opening I1. 'Ihe wall at the intersection of chamber I6 andopening I1 is chamfered so as to form a valve seat I8 that cooperateswith a poppet valve, |9 whose stem 20 projects through l the bottom ofthe valve body. Chamber I6 is placed in communication with-a source,ofwater under pressure by means of a pipe 2| that may be part of thedomestic water supply installation. A discharge pipe 22 communicateswith pan I3.

Adjustably secured to the pan I3 is anoverow` pipe 23 that determinesthe level -to whichthe liquid can rise. The overflow is discharged intopan 8 and controls the float It will be ob served that iioat is attachedto one end of a lever 24 -that is pivoted at 25 to lugs that areintegral with or secured to the valve body. When the level of the waterin pan 8 sinks below a predetermined point the upward ypush thatis`exerted on the valve stem by the lever 24 unseats valve |9 andpermits Water to flow into pan I3 and overiiow from it into pan 8 untilit reachesa predetermined level and in this manner pans 8 and I3 areconstantly 'supplied' with water.

l'I'he radiator is enclosed in a housing that has been designated byreference numeralr 26. The

front of the housing is connected with a tubular chamber 21 that hasbeen shown as of somewhat smaller diameter at its center than at itsends.

*A iilter screen 28 closes the front end of chamber 21 and a motor 29 issupported in the housing on a shelf 38.

A pipe 3| connects the bottom tank 6 with the 4intake port of a rotarypump 32 and apipe 33 connects the delivery port of the pump with tank 5.Shaft 34 connects the motor and the pump. A fan 35 is carried by theshaft 34 and when the motor is in operation the pump transfers liquidfrom the lower to the upper tank land the fan produces a movement of theair in the direction betwen pans 8 and I3 and produces rapid evaporaamechanical refrigerator.

of arrows 88.

A portion of the air flows through the radiator tion of the liquid inthe wicks; this air flows into the chamber 31 and out through the flue38. The

. very erroneous idea is quite prevalent 'that it is possible to reduce`the temperature of a closed room by circulating the air over moistsurfaces or through a water spray.

It is evident that at rst more' heat will be abstracted from ,the liquidin the tubes by the evaporation than will be returned to itby the airthat ows through the radiator and into the room and as a" result theliquidl is gradually reduced in temperature until a point of equilibriumis established; 1

Owing t 'o the/ difference in 2temperature and 'consequent difference indensity of the water at the'top and at the bottom of the radiator, it istheoretically possible todispense with the pump 32 and still obtain)some circulation but the use of a pump is desirable:

In Fig. 3, means has been illustrated for connecting the intake ofthe'fan chamber 21 at will with the outside or with the room itself orpartly with the outside and partly with the inside.' A split conduitcomprising branches 39 and 40 is connected with the wall of chamber `21and has a movable damper 4| that can occupy any position between-the twoextreme positions indicated by dotted lines. The branch 3 9 may beAconsidered as extending to the outside of the room and branch 40 ascommunicating with the room. When the damper is in the full lineposition the air is taken in equa-l amounts from the outside and inside.

'I'he outlet for the air that passes through the Y refrigerator belowthe partition or pan 8 is provided with a plurality of interconnectedpivoted louvers 42 that lmay be adjusted to any desired that catches anywater of condensation or leakage and this overows through pipe 45.

In winter and during those parts Vof the year when it is necessary toheat a `room or a building instead of cooling it, the Aapparatus thathas just 'been described can be used for this purpose and it may thenbe'connected with a suitable steam boiler by means of pipes 46 and 41,one of which y supplies the steam and the other of which serves as areturn for the water of condensation; these pipes are provided withsuitable valves. Instead of steam hot water may be circulated in whichcase the'supply pipe may be connected with tank 5. Whensteam or hotWater is used the pump may be disconnected but the fan is used in theusual manner. y

In cold weather it is often desirable to add moisture to the air andthis is effected by sliding member '48 upwardly so as to uncover some oral1 of the opening through which the moistened air emerges. Member 48 isclamped in adjusted position by a screw 49 that passes through a slot50. vBy adjusting the position of member 48 the proportion of the moistair that flows into the room and into flue l38 can be determined. y 1

By means of the damper 4|, the proportion of fresh air that is added canbe controlled and on very cold days it may be necessarya to close thefresh air intake and depend entirely on the leak lon age for airdilutionf The amount of water'evap- A orated by the' device when yusedas a heater may be controlled by a valvel in pipe 2| or by adjustingoverlow'23 and iioat |I.

Air conditioners of the type" described can be very easily installed instores, restaurants and `also in oiiices and private dwellings, and maybe auxiliary to the ordinary heating system or may constitute theonlyheating system.

In Fig. 4, the device has been shown as inn corporated inan ordinary hotair heating plant. Numeral 5| designates the fire box of a furnace and52 the jacket, while 53 designates the ilue Vfor the combustion gases.Two ducts .54 and 55 have been shown as connecting the hot air space ofthe furnace with rooms A and B. The duct v38 connects the evaporationcooler with the out- -side and return flue 56 conducts air from thevtirety by reference numeral 58.

mit some of the moist air from chamber 61 toy parts including tubes 1can be varied to suit the particular conditions and the embodiment showncan be departed from to such extent as may be permissible within thescope of the appended claims.

In Figs. 5 and 6, a modified form of the invention has been shown. Inthis embodiment the liquid employed to transfer heat from the coolingmeans to those parts of the tubes that come into contact with thecirculating air from the room has been omitted together with pump 32. Inthe embodiment illustrated in Fig. 5, the tubes 'la are made larger thanthe corresponding tubes 'l in Fig. 1, and the air that passes into theroom is passed through the tubes and supplies heat to the tubes whichare cooled by the evaporative refrigerator device.

In order to more clearly describe vthe construction'and opration of thedevice shown in Fig. 5, reference will now be had to the drawing inwhich reference numeral la designates wide thin tubes ofcopper or othergood .heat conducting metal. These tubes arev assembledy between the endplates 51 and the assembly. is positioned in a housing that has beendesignated in its en- The housing extends rearwardly and connectswithacylindrical section 59 in which is positioned a fan 35 that is drivenby a motor 29 supported on a shelf 30. From section 59 an outwardly`flaring housing 60 extends rearwardly and terminates in screen 2 8. Aconduit 6I., shown dotted, extends from the screen to the outside of theroom that is to be air conditioned. The wall of section 60 has anopening 62 that communicates with theroom and which is provided with adamper 63 which can be opened if for any reason it is found desir'- ableto recirculate the air from the room through the air conditioner. Theextent to which the damper 63 is opened rdetermines the proportion offresh and old air that is employed. Tubes 1a are arranged with theirflat sides parallel and in Vertical `planes in the manner shown in Fig.6 and above each tube is positioned a perforated pipe 64. vThese pipesare connected with a source of water supply 65 through a valve and serveto spray water onto the tubes for the purpose of keeping their outersurfaces moist. It is believed that the tubes should have a covering ofabsorbent fibrous material |5a that corresponds to the wicks l5 ofFig` 1. 'Ihe absorbent coveringsare maintained moist by the spray.` f

'I'he housing'58 is so designed that it forms ay chamber 66 that'is incommunication with the spaces'between the tubes and the housing in likemanner provides a chamber 6 1 that is inv communication with the spacesbetween the tubes. A conduit 68 `connects the chamber 61 with theoutside ,of the room that isv being air conditioned.

A- damper 69 is hinged at 'HlV and serves-by its position/ to proportionthe air fthatugoes `into chambnfii, ,thence through conduit I 68 with're-r specttotheair that aiiows throught-.theinterior of thegtubesandenterstherrooms;A I 'Tubes 1a l are `open .at both ends'f andI are -p'rovidedfon their interiors withzigzagplates `1f| that enter the room. .i

We will now assume lthat the apparatusr illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 ispositioned in a room to be air conditioned 4and that conduits 6l and 68are in communication lwith the atmosf phere outside of the room. The airthat passes into chamber 66 follows the path of arrow 12 and in passingover the moistened surfaces of 'the absorbent coverings I5a, it producesrapid evaporation, which in turn cools the ytubes and the platesl 1i.'I'he air that passes from the fan below damper 69 ows through theinteriors of the tubes and emerges into the room vas indicated byarrow13.

Since the transfer of heat from the air to the tubes is not suilicientinthe beginning to return as much heat as was abstracted by theevaporation of the liquid, thetemperature of the metal parts willcontinue to decrease until an equilibriumv is reached.

It will be observed that this device operates in v' A' 'I substantiallythe same way as the device illustrated in Fig. 1, but cannot be used asa heater. It does, however,function to abstract heat from the room andremove it to a place outside thereof.

While my tests indicate that the forms shown are most eiiicient, it isevident that special installations may require changes in theconstruction. The wick section may be placed atthe bottom of the tubesincase it is desiredwtoy conduct the heat outside from that point or'-any desired number of the tubes at either side may be. completelycovered with wicking, andilue v38 located adjacent thereto thusproviding a side outlet for the heat, while'the entire length oftheremaining tubes are used for cooling the air without departing from theprinciples of my invention.

Having described the inventiony what is claimed 1. An air conditioning`and heat kinterchange U as new is:

device for cooling a room,"comprising in combina-y 1 tion, a pluralityof tubular heat conducting members having exposed surfaces, means formaini taining a portion of the surfaces moist by applying to them avaporizable liquid, means vcomprising a fan for flowing :air over thelmoist surf aces whereby evaporationl is effectedand heat abstracted fromthe tubular members, means comprising a conduit forconductingrthemoist-l ened air to a position outside of theroom, means including thefanv for liiowing air. over andin thermal conductive contact with theunmoistenedv f surfaces of ythe tubular members-and into the` roomwhereby the airiscooled for -abstracting heat from theair inthe room,the Wall'of the Aconduit for the moistened air having an opening l indirect communication with the interior ofA the into theroom, and meanscomprising .amovable V conductingthe air fromythe absorbent rmernberseroom for sending air directly fromthe conduit prising the fan forflowing air in thermal conductive contact with the heat conductivemembers into the room, whereby heat is abstracted from the last namedair stream and the temperature of the room lowered, the conduit havingan opening in direct communication with the interior of the room wherebyair from the absorbent members may be passed directly into the roomwithout first mixing with the cooled air, and a damper for controllingthe effective area of the opening, whereby the proportion of moistenedair diverted directly to the room can be varied. l

3. An air conditioning and heat interchange device for modifying thetemperature of a room, comprising a radiator having vertically spacedtanks connected by a plurality of tubes, a liquid lling the radiator,means separate from the tubes for ,circulating the liquid in theradiator, an absorbent material surrounding the upper portions of thetubes, means for supplying water to the absorbent material whereby itwill be maintained moist, and means comprising a fan for passing astream of air over the moist absorbent material, whereby the water willbe evaporated, thereby abstracting heat from the liquid in the tubes,means conducting the stream of air to a point outside the room, meansincluding the fan for circulating the air for the room through theremaining portion of the' radiator tube, whereby heat will be removedfrom the room by a thermal pump action.

4. An air conditioning device, comprising in combination, a liquidcontaining radiator having spaced tanks connected by a plurality oftubes, a pipe, separate from the tubes, joining the tanks, a pumpoperatively associated with the pipe, said pump when operating servingto circulate the liquid in the radiator, an absorbent material coveringa portion of the tubes, means for maintaining the absorbent materialmoist, a partition extending transversely of the tubes adjacent theabsorbent material, means comprising a fan for directing a now of airthrough the radiator on4 both sides of the partition, and means forsepa'- rating the two air streams from each other after they have passedthrough the radiator.

5. An air conditioner and heat interchange device comprising a radiatorhaving an upper tank and a lower tank for containing water, connectedb-y a plurality of tubes, and means separate from the tubes forreturning water from the lower to the upper tank, a partition extendingtransversely of the tubes between the tanks, means associated with eachtube, in the space above the partition for effecting a rapid evaporationof water in contact with the tubes to abstract heat from the water inthe tubes, means comprising a fan for circulating airv through theradiator spaces above and below the partition, and means on thedischarge side of the upper radiator space for conducting any desiredportion of the emerging air to a distant point.

6. An air conditioning and heat interchange device comprising twovertically spaced tanks connected by tubular members, a liquid i'n thetanks and tubular members, means for effecting a circulation of theliquid from the upper tank through the tubes into the lower tank andthen returning the liquid to the upper tank, a water supply panpositioned in close proximity to the tubes directly below the uppertank, a second water supply pan surrounding the tubes at a point belowthe upper pan, means' for supplying water to the pans, an absorptivebrous material surrounding each tube between the pans, the ends of theabsorptive material projecting into means for conducting the air anddischarging it at a 'point separated from the air intake of the fan by awall, and means comprising the fan for moving a stream of air around andabout the tubes between the lower pan and the lower tank whereby a heatinterchange is effected.

7. An air conditioning device, comprising in combination, a liquidcontaining radiator having two vertically spaced tanks connected by aplurality of tubes, a pipe, separate from the tubes, joining the twotanks, a pump operatively associated with the pipe, said pump whenoperating serving to transfer liquid from the lower to the upper tank, awater supply pan positioned directly below the upper tank, adjacent thetubes, an absorbent material coveringthe upper ends of the tubes, theupper end of the absorbent material dipping into the pan, a panextending transversely of the tubes below the absorbent material, meansfor supplying water to the upper pan, means for overflowing water fromthe upper pan to the lower pan, a valve in the water supply means, a oatresponsive to the water level in the lower pan for controlling theopening and the closing of the valve, means for producing a flow of airthrough the radiator, the air that iiows between the two pans producingevaporation whereby heat is abstracted from the liquid in the tubes, andmeans for directing this air into a conduit for removal to apredetermined place, the air that iiows through the radiator below thelower pan and the lower tank giving up heat to` the liquid in the tubeswhereby its temperature is lowered 8. In an evaporative refrigerator anupwardly ranging tubular member, a covering of absorbent material inheat conductive contact therewith, a pan positioned adjacent the upperend of the tube, spaced from but in close proximity thereto, the upperend of the absorbent covering extending over the edge and into the panwhereby liquid will be conducted fro'm the pan by capillary action tomaintain the absorbent material moist, means for maintaining apredetermined liquid level in the pan, a pan surrounding the tubularmember some distance below the upper pan, the

lower end of the absorbent material extending into the lower pan, meansfor supplying a liquid to the upper pan, means for overilowing liquidfrom the upper pan into the lower pan, and means controlled by the levelof the liquid in the lower pan for controlling the flow of liquid to theupper pan.

9. An air conditioning and heat interchange device comprising, a heatconducting medium, two separate air spaces associated therewith, one ofsaid spaces including means for effecting rapid evaporation of a liquidin contact with the included surface of said medium, the other spaceincluding another portion of the surface of said medium and serving toconduct air into contactl with the included surface of the medium andthence into a room to be cooled, means comprising a fan for circulatingair through both spaces, means comprising a conduit at the discharge endof the first mentioned space for conducting the air discharged therefromto a distant point, said conduit having an opening in directcommunication with the room, and means for varying the eiective area ofthe opening whereby any desired portion of the air passing through theconduit can be discharged directly into the room.

10. An air conditioning apparatus, comprising in combination, a radiatorhaving a plurality of tubular members open at both ends and spaced apartby heads which divide the spaces outside of the tubes from the spaceswithin the tubes, the' spaces within the tubes being in communicationwith a room to be cooled, a, single means, com` prising afan, forcirculating air through both spaces, means within the space surroundingand in communication with the outside of the tubes, comprising a moistsurface, for eiecting a cooling of the tubes by means of rapidevaporation, means comprising a conduit located on the d ischarge sideof the last mentioned space for conducting any desired portion of theair from said space to a distanty point, and for discharging theremainder directly into the room being cooled without first mixing itwith air from the first space.

BENJAMIN MCINNERNEY.

